Need a Cheap Vacuum Pump?

[nobbie48]

I needed a vacuum pump for an experiment and didn't feel like spending a lot of money. Then I noticed an old tire inflator and figured if it pumped air out it had to suck it in. I made an adapter that bolted over the intake sealed with a dab of silicone.

I messed up a bit as I destroyed the output end and if I hadn't it would still be an inflator with a gauge.

It worked.

If you were vacuuming a liquid put a catch jar in the line

 

[GreyGhost]

I needed a vacuum pump for an experiment and didn't feel like spending a lot of money. Then I noticed an old tire inflator and figured if it pumped air out it had to suck it in. I made an adapter that bolted over the intake sealed with a dab of silicone.

I messed up a bit as I destroyed the output end and if I hadn't it would still be an inflator with a gauge.

It worked.

If you were vacuuming a liquid put a catch jar in the line

I tried that with an old fish tank bubbler (no parts required just rotate or flip the valve plate to reverse in and out connections). It worked but vaccuum generated sucked (rubber valves). Glad you had better luck. For quick vacuum I use a venturi and compressed air. For sustained vacuum, I pulled a vac pump out of some chinese spa machine. Not good enough to pull down an A/C but fine for repairing boards with cracks/guages.